Readiness and Deployment Support Trainers (RDST) at 29 Palms provide a variety of classes, workshops, and briefs that discuss a variety of readiness education and deployment support issues.
Readiness and Deployment Support Training offers assistance to units by connecting Family Readiness Officers (FROs) and commands, assisting with family readiness issues, and delivering pre, during, and post-deployment presentation along with the “Strong Marine Couples” reintegration workshop, which addresses the challenges of reuniting in a safe, relaxed environment.
WORKSHOPS
Pre-Deployment for Marines and Families: This workshop highlights key areas of personal and family preparation for single Marines, married Marines and their respective families; either active duty or reservists. Suggestions for personal and family preparation including important documents, emergency communication, money management, operational security, sources of assistance and information and referral resources are provided.
Pre-Deployment for Children and their Parents: This program uses age-appropriate activities for children age 5 and older to prepare for the upcoming deployment. The adult component combines discussion and demonstrations to highlight ways parents can support their children and recognize common reactions children may exhibit due to deployment related stress.
Deployment Success: This workshop is designed to promote deployment success for the spouse or significant other at home during a deployment and includes suggestions for fun things to do, goal setting and resources. This is a great opportunity to assess progress thus far, get new ideas for continued success and also networking with other Marine Corps spouses and significant others.
Self Care: This workshop is designed to promote deployment success through self-care for the spouse or significant other at home during the deployment. It includes information about stress management, staying connected with your Marine, dealing with emotional ups and downs and resources.
Kids and Deployment: This workshop is designed to promote deployment success for kids, including reactions to deployment, ways parents can help and resources.
Return and Reunion- Spouses and Significant Others: Spouses and significant others of returning Marines are eager to talk about homecoming anticipation, expectations and concerns. The ideal time to discuss homecoming is approximately a month before a unit returns from deployment. This allows enough time for communication to occur and plans to be made before the Marine returns.
Return and Reunion for Kids and their Parents: This program uses age appropriate activities for children age 5 and older to prepare for the upcoming return, reunion and reintegration with their Marine parent. The adult component combines discussion and demonstrations to highlight ways parents can support their child during this time.
Return and Reunion for Parents and Extended Family: This program answers questions about what to expect at homecoming, provides suggestions on celebrating homecoming with their Marine and addresses concerns about the effects that serving in a combat zone might have on their Marine.
Reintegration- Strong Marine Couples: This training provides a forum for couples to assess their recent deployment experience in an effort to further strengthen their relationship. This educational workshop addresses the effect of reintegration on a relationship, allows couples to assess the level of relationship satisfaction and provides communication tools and resources for couples to use to strengthen their relationship.
Source: Readiness and Deployment Support Website
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